New Delhi: A day after IIT Delhi constituted a committee to probe the death of a student on campus, the person proposed to chair the panel recused himself from the exercise.Former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, who had been named chairperson of the committee, cited prior commitments for stepping aside, IIT sources said. An institute official said a new chairperson would be announced shortly.The development comes amid continuing protests on the campus. Students had objected to Kumar’s inclusion in the panel, citing his alleged past public remarks on students and activism.Protests continued till late Tuesday night, with students reiterating their demand for the resignation of the dean of student welfare and action against those they hold responsible. While some students reportedly continued protesting Wednesday, institute officials said the situation had eased.“The inquiry committee will be mandated to examine the matter comprehensively. The name of the chair will be announced soon. It has also been proposed to appoint an external ombudsperson to address student grievances that remain unresolved through existing internal mechanisms,” an IIT official said.At a late-night meeting Tuesday, protesting students decided to continue their agitation and intensify outreach efforts, including seeking support from alumni. According to minutes of the meeting, students planned to gather again at Lecture Hall Complex and review the course of the protest on a day-to-day basis.Students said they would launch a signature campaign among alumni, urging the administration to accept their demands. They also appealed to student representatives and office-bearers on campus to express solidarity.According to the meeting minutes, students also discussed alleged instances of intimidation by faculty members and peers. They decided to document such incidents collectively and raise them publicly or through appropriate grievance-redressal mechanisms.On classes, students decided not to stop anyone from attending but said they would leave it to the “individual conscience” of students to decide whether to participate as the protest continues.According to an email sent by IIT Delhi director to students Tuesday, the committee will interact with students, faculty members and administrative offices, review existing protocols and processes, and submit its report within two weeks. The director also said he had met students gathered at Lecture Hall Complex and heard their grievances and demands.The committee’s formation was among the key demands raised by protesting students. While students boycotted classes Monday, demonstrations continued Tuesday with a march to press their demands.
